NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s self-defense program is open to students, faculty and staff, as well as the community, TSU officials say.
That was part of the discussion TSU Crime Prevention Officer Aerin Washington had Thursday with a Channel 2 reporter who visited the university to talk about the R.A.D. program.
R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) is a comprehensive program emphasizing awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance. The 12-hour class is taught over the course of three days in four-hour sessions.
TSU’s program, which is open to the university and community free of charge, is the only one in the state that offers a male and female course.
Washington said self-defense programs like R.A.D. are important because “you can’t always depend on law enforcement to be the first line of defense when it comes to your personal safety.”
“You are the first line of defense when it comes to your own personal safety,” she said. “And so having a program like this really empowers our community members, as well as our students, faculty and staff to take that into their own hands. We want to make sure they’re able to defend themselves in any given situation.”
TSU Police Officer Lewis Lawrence, Jr. said opening the program up to individuals outside the TSU family helps foster a sense of safety in the community.
“This is something we can pass on to our community … so they have viable options to protect themselves,” Lawrence said.
To learn more about the R.A.D. program, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/police/radselfdefense.aspx.
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With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.